Chapter 152: Steel Seventh Company On The Disbandment List?
The reconnaissance battalion commander, who was full of high spirits at the start of the battle, was now slumped on the ground with a face full of dejection.
He led a battalion to lose to one company, and it was the same armored reconnaissance establishment.
As battalion commander, he could not shirk his responsibility!
The Blue Army Battalion Commander had a face full of dejection, the Blue Army Company Commander stood there ashen-faced, and the Blue Army warriors scattered here and there were all like eggplants beaten by frost.
This formed an extreme stark contrast with the jubilant Red Army celebrating in various ways.
The visual impact of the scene was exceptionally strong.
If Officer Zhang were here at this moment, he would definitely pull out his Japanese camera, snap a bunch of photos, then lie down and shout to the sky:
“Perfect, a perfect masterpiece!”
And in this wonderful moment of welcoming victory, the moment to posture with one’s back straighter naturally could not be without our high-profile Company Commander Gao.
“Rumble rumble rumble…”
A roar of engines approached from far to near.
Gao Cheng, eager to appreciate the fruits of victory, rode in a 212 military vehicle and quickly charged onto the Blue Army position, screeching to a halt in front of the Red Army Battalion Headquarters.
“Screech~”
The car door opened.
Gao Cheng, with every cell in his body radiating joy, stepped down from the vehicle with his head held high, becoming the focus of the entire position.
The aura emanating from him inside and out could be summed up in two words—
Smug!!
Compared to Chen Jun, who followed behind him, having seen all sorts of grand occasions, with only a faint smile on his lips and no major emotional fluctuations.
Gao Cheng, who was clearly older, was actually less calm than Chen Jun at this moment.
Carrying the arrogance of youth.
At this moment, Gao Cheng truly had the right to be arrogant!
Leading just one company against a battalion, not only taking them down but annihilating them entirely, with his own side’s casualties under five percent.
Enemy-to-friendly combat loss ratio of 308 to
This unbelievable, dreamlike battle record, which had only appeared in World War II history books and become legendary, was now created by his own hands.
Even though it was not real war, just a confrontation exercise within the division.
Gao Cheng felt he had reached life’s peak.
Blowing about it for three years would be too little.
At least thirty years!
He wished that even after death, it would be engraved on his tombstone, so that his descendants would all remember that their ancestor Gao Cheng had once achieved a heaven-defying battle record.
Hands on hips, he scanned the battlefield, and Gao Cheng immediately locked onto his target.
He strode toward the Reconnaissance Battalion Commander.
The Reconnaissance Battalion Commander, originally dejectedly sitting on the ground, immediately stood up upon seeing Gao Cheng approach and tried his best to adjust his expression.
After all, he was a lieutenant colonel senior battalion commander; having lost the confrontation, he couldn’t lose face too.
He must preserve his dignity!
Gao Cheng was no modest and reserved person; his personality was like a sharp precious sword, radiating sharpness from inside out.
No matter if you were a lieutenant colonel or a battalion commander.
I won, so I’m the boss.
Even though the Reconnaissance Battalion Commander was putting on a stern face and assuming the posture of a superior leader battalion commander, Gao Cheng walked over without any fear.
Not intimidated by the battalion commander’s status, he continued striding forward until three steps from the battalion commander before stopping.
“Leader, how’s your mood?”
Gao Cheng really feared no one; facing a battalion commander two levels above him, his first words carried a thick flavor of the victor.
The battalion commander, already forcing a straight face, nearly lost his composure from Gao Cheng’s first sentence.
Thinking of Gao Cheng’s well-known background, plus having lost the confrontation exercise and thus being a step lower, the battalion commander could only forcibly comfort himself inwardly.
After barely suppressing his nearly exploding emotions, the Reconnaissance Battalion Commander said coldly in retort: “Company Commander Gao, you’re in quite a good mood. Don’t blame me for not reminding you.
You, when walking, must be extra careful; the roads on this plateau are uneven—don’t twist your ankle.”
It sounded like concern on the surface, but it was actually mocking Gao Cheng darkly.
Don’t let winning one confrontation make your eyes grow to the top of your head.
Although Gao Cheng was straightforward and forthright, it didn’t mean he couldn’t understand sarcastic remarks.
Seeing the defeated battalion commander still daring to talk tough and even mocking him to his face, Gao Cheng was displeased and gave no more face.
“Liu Battalion Commander, having lost the confrontation, I know you’re definitely feeling bad inside.
But losing to our Steel Seventh Company is perfectly normal; you have no regrets at all, after all, our Steel Seventh Company is no longer what it used to be—it’s just too strong.
Not to mention the current reconnaissance battalion; even if you train for another two years, you’d still not be our match.”
Gao Cheng’s words were extremely direct; though he didn’t deliberately step on or belittle the reconnaissance battalion, every word boasted the Steel Seventh Company’s strength.
And there were also words with hidden meaning, pointing out that the reconnaissance battalion had lost thoroughly, with no chance even to turn the tables.
The battalion commander’s face turned green upon hearing Gao Cheng’s words.
Especially the last sentence about not being a match even after two more years of training, which completely broke the battalion commander’s defenses, making him unable to hold it together anymore.
“Good, Company Commander Gao, then I congratulate you.”
The battalion commander was flushed with anger, face beet red; staying longer felt like he might anger himself into a heart attack.
With a heavy and heavy tone, he threw down those words, then turned and strode away, jumping onto the military vehicle parked nearby, shouting deeply: “Xiao Yang, drive, back to battalion headquarters.”
The driver saw the battalion commander’s face black as ink, fearing he’d touch a sore spot and bring bad luck on himself.
Not daring to delay in the slightest, he quickly started the car and left.
“Leader, take care; if you have time, come to our Seventh Company for some tea.”
Gao Cheng, having gained the advantage, still acted polite, waving and shouting with a full smile toward the departing military vehicle, perfectly embodying the vigor of youth.
Gao Cheng demanded his soldiers strive to excel; he himself took those four words to the extreme.
“Company Commander, he’s a battalion commander after all; you just pissed him off and made him leave—offending him isn’t good, right?” Chen Jun teased and laughed from the side.
Thinking that in the original plot, Gao Cheng became deputy battalion commander right in this reconnaissance battalion.
If relations with the Reconnaissance Battalion Commander soured too much, and Gao Cheng later went to the reconnaissance battalion as deputy battalion commander, meetings between them would be somewhat awkward.
Although after the synthesized modification, the probability of Gao Cheng going to the reconnaissance battalion as deputy battalion commander was low.
But it wasn’t absolutely impossible!
“I, Gao Cheng, walk upright and sit straight; in this life, I’ve never mistreated anyone, never taken anyone’s benefits, never committed any principled errors—so why fear offending anyone? Let alone a battalion commander; even higher up, I wouldn’t fear.”
Gao Cheng wasn’t worried at all, still with that familiar arrogant look.
Then he turned to the Steel Seventh Company, waving and shouting: “Hey, brothers, you did great, gave our Seventh Company face—at last, you look like soldiers.
When we get back, we must, absolutely must hold a victory feast, make it lively and bustling.
I won’t promise too much, but I, Gao Cheng, put my words here: eat the meat as much as you want, drink the liquor as much as you want.
Open up and enjoy yourselves to the fullest.”
With these two guarantees from Gao Cheng, all the warriors of Seventh Company were stimulated.
They all raised their hands and cheered.
The emotions in the troops were just that simple, that pure—no deceit or messy workplace rules like outside.
The Second Company commander, who had become a defeated general, saw that Steel Seventh Company was already preparing to celebrate, while his side would only face criticism upon return.
His heart was a mix of complex feelings, an indescribable emotion lingering.
The confrontation site was an ocean of jubilation mixed with dire straits.
Yet inside the confrontation command center, it was even more direct: the whole scene was harmonious and warm, with everyone surrounding Regiment Commander Wang with all sorts of flattery.
“Old Wang, congratulations, fought really well.”
“Red Army Company Commander Gao Cheng is quite the talent, and now there’s also Chen Jun—talents abound; congratulations to Regiment Commander Wang on gaining fine subordinates.”
“One company actually beat a battalion, creating a new record for our division—splendid news.”
“Congratulations, congratulations, Regiment Commander Wang; congrats on your synthesized modification succeeding—with such great experience, don’t forget us old friends.”
“Steel Seventh Company’s combined arms tactics are truly top-level; looking forward to promoting them across the whole division.”
…
Usually, when field officers went to the grassroots, they acted all proper, hands behind backs while walking; but in this setting, they turned into flattery experts.
This scene was somewhat comical, yet it represented the most real army.
The army was a place that valued only combat effectiveness; any technology or method that could improve the troops’ combat effectiveness would always be pursued by everyone.
Regiment Commander Wang was surrounded by endless praise, his eyes crinkling with laugh lines.
A smile makes one ten years younger.
Regiment Commander Wang felt twenty years younger.
Even the Division Commander was highly emotional at this moment, praising without stint on the spot: “Through this confrontation exercise, it has fully proven to everyone.
Steel Seventh Company’s synthesized modification was very successful; combat effectiveness has indeed greatly improved.
For the official synthesized reorganization, I will quickly convene a meeting with division headquarters cadres to discuss and promptly implement it.
As long as Steel Seventh Company’s synthesis can mature, I will report to the group army then, continue in-depth research, and make bolder attempts.”
The Division Commander’s words weren’t long, but they revealed two key pieces of information.
First, Steel Seventh Company’s synthesis was just starting; if it could reach the ideal level, expansion of Steel Seventh Company was not out of the question.
That was what the bolder attempts referred to.
Second, the Division Commander had fully recognized Steel Seventh Company’s synthesized reorganization, confirmed the combined arms route was correct, and decided to formally establish the reconnaissance combined arms company establishment.
Once Steel Seventh Company had the official new establishment, it would receive division support.
Not to mention anything else.
Equipment, supplies, funding would at least rise one level.
For the Division Commander to state it publicly meant the matter was ninety percent done.
Regiment Commander Wang, receiving such good news, finally had the last stone fall from his heart, happily saying: “On behalf of all officers and soldiers of Steel Seventh Company, thank you for the Division Commander’s trust.
Once the reconnaissance combined arms company establishment is in place, I will also pay special attention to Steel Seventh Company, striving to take their combat effectiveness to the next level on this foundation.”
Regiment Commander Wang wasn’t just paying lip service; he truly believed Steel Seventh Company could improve further.
After all, it had only been half a year since reorganization, and for a unit to fully develop combat effectiveness, it took at least one to two years to fully mature.
This meant Steel Seventh Company’s current strength was still far from its peak.
“Regiment Commander Wang, I hope you mean what you say.”
The Division Commander gradually withdrew the smile from his face, saying solemnly with a serious expression: “T Division facing reform—I’m sure you’ve all heard about it.
Each regiment needs to take one company for reform; this is the superior’s hard standard.
To baseline each regiment’s companies and ultimately decide which one to implement it on, the group army will conduct baseline assessments on each regiment.
701 Regiment has completed the assessment; I won’t reveal specifics, but I can only say it’s far from ideal.”
The Division Commander paused here, locking his gaze on Regiment Commander Wang and saying seriously: “702 Regiment’s baseline assessment is in these two or three months.
In the group army’s preliminary disbandment list, your regiment’s Steel Seventh Company is included.
You must take this seriously; Steel Seventh Company is now completely different, and in the baseline assessment, I hope you can produce standout results.
If this confrontation hadn’t gone well, Steel Seventh Company’s outcome would probably…”
The Division Commander didn’t say the rest, but everyone present who heard already knew what the unsaid outcome was.
Originally, the Division Commander hadn’t planned to say it, and in the original plot, there was no advance warning.
Because in the original plot, Steel Seventh Company was mediocre, even occupying the latrine without shitting, and the Division Commander himself didn’t think much of Steel Seventh Company.
There was no intent to preserve Steel Seventh Company.
But now, after this confrontation exercise, plus having read through Chen Jun’s combined arms theory, the Division Commander’s attitude toward Steel Seventh Company had completely changed.
The Division Commander really wanted to preserve the “evolved” Steel Seventh Company, so he revealed this information in advance.
Regiment Commander Wang truly hadn’t known; Steel Seventh Company had actually made the disbandment list, meaning the entire company would be completely disbanded and replaced with a new establishment.
Compared to reorganization, which was just “modifying” on the original basis, disbandment was the most unacceptable.
The originally joyful mood from winning the confrontation became heavy because of this, forcing Regiment Commander Wang to treat it with utmost seriousness.
Steel Seventh Company had indeed made great progress now, but after all, it was just a company-level unit.
This group army-organized baseline assessment had scaled up crazily to regiment level; on a battlefield of several thousand people, one company’s influence would drop sharply.
If something went wrong somewhere then, and Steel Seventh Company ended up disbanded.
Regiment Commander Wang could not accept that!
“Pressure’s on; a matter of life and death—looks like it’s all on this baseline assessment.”
Regiment Commander Wang thought heavily inwardly, already resolved in his heart: after the exercise ended and they returned, he must intensify training for Steel Seventh Company.
No matter the cost, no matter how many resources expended.
He must make Steel Seventh Company continue to grow stronger, become a complete combined arms company, become a true fierce tiger, and the great killer weapon in the upcoming baseline assessment.
Only by becoming a true great killer weapon could they, to the maximum extent, use Steel Seventh Company this one company to decide the final result of the regiment-level scale exercise.
The Division Commander had said all that needed saying; the rest was up to Regiment Commander Wang himself.
He then instructed the Chief of Staff to handle the aftermath and invited everyone to a feast at division headquarters tonight, then took the combined arms theory and hurried back to seize the time to continue studying.
